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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23737387">Martini Madness</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kethni/pseuds/kethni'>kethni</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Veep (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Morning After, Power Imbalance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:54:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,986</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23737387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kethni/pseuds/kethni</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
      <p>For Anonymous</p>
    </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kent Davison/Selina Meyer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Martini Madness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Anonymous</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As Kent looked at the unfamiliar ceiling in an unaccustomed room from a recumbent position in a bed he had never seen before, he considered how best to word his resignation. </p>
<p>Due to certain actions invited speculation on what he’d done.</p>
<p>Unfortunate events implied nobody was to blame but was also rather Lemony Snicket.</p>
<p>Thank you for the opportunity was downright amateur.</p>
<p>Damn.</p>
<p>He looked at his watch. Still early. But factoring the time it would take him to get dressed, go across to the West Wing, shower, change into the spare clothes he kept there… yes. He could do that and be at his desk early but not suspiciously so.</p>
<p>Kent slid out of the bed. It wasn’t difficult do to the fact that the other occupant was taking up approximately ¾ of the space leaving him teetering perilously close to the edge.</p>
<p>Clothes were strewn across the floor. Ugh. That had been her hurling clothing, shoes, and jewellery with abandon. There was a diamond bracelet that looked like it cost more than his house dangling out of a glass of water.</p>
<p>Boxers, socks, undershirt. Hmm. He had a vague memory of her tugging at his shirt on the stairs. Kent pulled a face as he put on the underwear from the previous day. It was only for a little while. Just long enough to get him over to his fresh clothes in his office.</p>
<p>He opened the bedroom door, but then ducked back as he heard movement. A woman’s voice. A door opening and closing. Then Catherine walked past him. She didn’t notice him, which perhaps wasn’t surprising given her general lack of awareness. She <em>did</em> notice the clothing trailing down the steps.</p>
<p>‘Oh my God, can you believe this?’</p>
<p>‘What?’ Marjorie’s voice.</p>
<p>Kent pushed the door almost closed. Marjorie would notice him immediately, he was sure.</p>
<p>‘There are clothes everywhere! Mom’s brought some guy home, stripped him on the stairs, and presumably is sleeping off a night of wild sex!’</p>
<p>There was a long pause.</p>
<p>‘And?’</p>
<p>‘What do you mean and?’ Catherine asked blankly.</p>
<p>‘Your mom can bring home any man she wants and have sex with him in any room she wants,’ Marjorie said. ‘It’s not anything new is it?’</p>
<p>Catherine stamped her foot. ‘She’s so old now! God, why is she still so gross?’</p>
<p>‘It’s kind of inspiring,’ Marjorie suggested. ‘Men her age do it all the time.’</p>
<p>‘That’s gross too,’ Catherine muttered, finally moving away from the door. ‘But even my dad doesn’t make it so <em>obvious</em>.’</p>
<p>Kent shook his head. Catherine was sharing a room with her own partner and complaining, loudly, about Selina enjoying sex.</p>
<p>The sounds died away. He edged out of the room and began collecting his clothes as he headed down the stairs.</p>
<p>Two Secret Service officers stared at him.</p>
<p>‘Is there somewhere I can change?’ he asked. ‘I’m not very familiar with the residence.’</p>
<p>‘I’ll show you Mr Davison,’ one said.</p>
<p>He had no reason to be surprised that they knew exactly who he was. Even so it made his stomach sink. There was going to be no hiding this. He had to resign.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>‘Fuck off,’ Ben said, throwing a balled-up piece of paper at his head.</p>
<p>‘This is <em>my </em>office,’ Kent protested.</p>
<p>‘I don’t mean go away.’ Ben kicked the door shut and collapsed down on a chair. ‘I mean the answer is no.’</p>
<p>Kent unscrewed the piece of paper. ‘The answer to what?’</p>
<p>‘That.’</p>
<p>Kent shot him a look. ‘It’s not a question. It’s a statement of fact.’</p>
<p>Ben put his feet up on the desk. ‘You’re a words guy. You know that employees <em>offer</em> their resignations and that employers <em>accept</em> or <em>decline</em> them.’</p>
<p>‘That’s merely courtesy,’ Kent said. ‘You cannot in fact actually prevent me from leaving my position.’</p>
<p>‘Why do you wanna leave suddenly anyway? Apart from everything POTUS says and does and everything everyone else says and does?’</p>
<p>Kent licked his lips. ‘It’s better to jump than to be pushed. The average length of employment for a West Wing staffer is 2.76 years. I’ve already been here longer than that. There’s no shame in seeking something else.’</p>
<p>Ben frowned. ‘What are you talking about, jump before you’re pushed? I’ve been trying to get you fired for literally fucking <em>years</em> with no luck. She didn’t fire you when she hated you. She’s not going to fire you when you’re actually getting on.’</p>
<p>‘I’m not comfortable getting into this with you,’ Kent said.</p>
<p>‘I’ll ask her,’ Ben said, standing up.</p>
<p>‘Please don’t. You should be pleased to be rid of me.’</p>
<p>Ben rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t be a jackass. We’ve got like three competent people in the whole administration and you think I’ll be pleased if one of those three quits? At this point I’d refuse to let Jack the Ripper quit if he was halfway decent as Surgeon General.’</p>
<p>‘What a horrific image,’ Kent complained.</p>
<p>‘Yeah.’ Ben grinned. ‘It’s a good one. I might use it again.’</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Kent kept his head down during the early briefing. Literally down, trying to avoid POTUS’s eye. He had little certainty of how she would react to him. She was mercurial at best, particularly with her lovers. Kent had never understood her relationship with Andrew a man whom, he had been led to believe, was sexually incontinent to the point of it possibly being some sort of illness. Yet she came back to him again and again, while discarding other partners apparently without a second thought. Certainly, she had no issue with Kent firing Ray without her expressly requesting it. She hadn’t even asked Kent how the other man had taken it.</p>
<p>Kent dreaded the thought of finding himself in Ray’s shoes.</p>
<p>‘Kent, stay a minute,’ she said, as the briefing ended.</p>
<p>He took a deep breath and released it slowly. ‘Yes Ma’am.’</p>
<p>Looking at her, he could see why Gary was in such a foul mood. There were heavy bags under her eyes, and she moved with the tentativeness of someone fighting against a pounding head and roiling nausea. His own hangover had been far milder. But then he was considerably taller and heavier than she was. She had insisted on attempting to keep up with him the night before. That was pure ego of course. Typical of the woman. She demanded everything and gave nothing.</p>
<p>‘So.’ She idly clapped her hands together as she walked back from shutting the door. ‘Ben told me that you’d offered your resignation.’</p>
<p>‘Yes Ma’am.’ It wasn’t a question, but he answered it anyway.</p>
<p>‘He said that he told you no,’ she said.</p>
<p>‘And I told him that I didn’t require his permission,’ Kent said.</p>
<p>Selina pushed back her hair. ‘Do you need more money, what’s the problem?’</p>
<p>He blinked. ‘I’m sorry?’</p>
<p>‘Why do you wanna quit?’ she asked. ‘It seems really sudden I gotta say.’</p>
<p>‘Uh…’ He licked his lips. ‘Under the circumstances I thought it was the appropriate thing to do.’</p>
<p>It was her turn to look blank. ‘Under the circumstances? You mean last night?’</p>
<p>‘It shouldn’t have happened,’ he said.</p>
<p>She shrugged and sat down. ‘Jesus, Kent, this is DC. You think that you’re the first staffer that I’ve gotten drunk with and fucked?’</p>
<p>‘You’re certainly the first president that I have,’ he said dryly.</p>
<p>She laughed. Not the false one she broke out in public but a low laugh with a hint of a snort. It would have never done in public. Personally, though, he rather liked it.</p>
<p>‘Well that’s good to know,’ she said. ‘Come on. We’re both grown-ups. Sex is just sex. It’s not like you declared you were in love with me or anything.’</p>
<p>Kent blew out his cheeks. ‘I’m relieved that you think so, Ma’am.’</p>
<p>‘I’m relieved you’re still calling me Ma’am,’ she said. ‘People can get weird ideas after you sleep with them.’</p>
<p>He spread out his hands. ‘I am still very aware of my position relative to you, Ma’am.’</p>
<p>Selina stood up and walked towards the door. ‘I keep thinking about your position relative to me last night,’ she said waggling her eyebrows.</p>
<p>Kent smiled weakly. ‘I haven’t told anyone about last night.’</p>
<p>She cocked her head. ‘Why, are you embarrassed?’</p>
<p>‘Uh…’</p>
<p>She waved her hand. ‘I’m screwing with you. In the non-literal sense this time. No, we shouldn’t make this public news. It’d be distracting.’</p>
<p>‘Indeed.’ Kent stepped out of the door. Past him where a queue of people waiting for her attention.</p>
<p>‘Great,’ she said. ‘Oh, but next time sober.’</p>
<p>‘I’m sorry, what?’ he asked.</p>
<p>But she was already greeting a general.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Sue crossed her legs. She picked up her cup of coffee and took a delicate sip. Kent waited patiently.</p>
<p>‘You’re an idiot,’ she said eventually.</p>
<p>‘Thank you.’</p>
<p>‘You should have resigned.’</p>
<p>‘I told you, I offered but she said it wasn’t necessary,’ he protested.</p>
<p>Sue raised an eyebrow. ‘Lower your voice,’ she advised.</p>
<p>He sighed and glanced around. They were in a busy coffee shop a good walk from the West Wing. Nonetheless it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility that they might be seen by someone who might recognise them.</p>
<p>‘I offered,’ he said again.</p>
<p>‘You should have stood your ground,’ she said. ‘Naturally she doesn’t want you to quit. That gives you the power. She will want to fire you.’</p>
<p>‘How is that your takeaway from what I said?’</p>
<p>Sue rolled her eyes. ‘Not immediately, but as soon as she loses interest in any form of ongoing situation.’</p>
<p>‘I don’t have any interest in any ongoing situation,’ he said.</p>
<p>‘Since when?’</p>
<p>He groaned softly. ‘That’s entirely different. You and I were dating.’</p>
<p>Sue considered this as she sipped her coffee. ‘A drunken one-night stand is certainly an unconventional beginning, but doubtless other people have successfully made the transition.’</p>
<p>‘I don’t <em>want </em>that,’ Kent said. ‘Good Lord, the woman went out of her way to say I should continue to address her as ma’am. That is not any form of dating in which I have any interest.’</p>
<p>Sue looked at him from under her eyelashes. ‘Did you call her that in bed? Was there a whip involved? Kent, did you have a safe word?’</p>
<p>‘You are not amusing, Susan.’</p>
<p>‘I’m <em>quite</em> amusing, Kent.’</p>
<p>He rubbed his forehead. ‘I should look for other opportunities.’</p>
<p>‘Before she chains you up in the Oval Office,’ Sue suggested.</p>
<p>‘I think that you’re enjoying the image of me in chains far too much,’ he said, taking a gulp of his tea.</p>
<p>‘I’m not sure that’s possible.’</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>It wasn’t that he particularly disliked Selina Meyer. She was neither the worst nor the best employer that he’d ever had. Although admittedly she fell closer to the former than the latter. She had long borne him an entirely unjustified grudge simply for doing his job and, admittedly, that had made it difficult for him to entirely warm to her. It was hard to appreciate someone’s sparkling wit when they were using to describe the various ways in which they wanted you to suffer the torments of hell. And, honestly, achieving the post of president, which she had so long craved, had not brought out the best in her. That was not terribly shocking. It was a stressful and unrelenting job even when the occupant had achieved it with a clear win in an election. Selina had not even done that. It turned out that while taking over because the president has resigned was completely legal a great many people <em>felt</em> that it made you some sort of cheat, or at least only partially legitimate. That she existed in a bubble was unquestioned, but it was a bubble that admitted enough criticism to feed into her insecurities.</p>
<p>The sex had been good, for a drunken one-night stand. She had loudly informed him that she wasn’t going to do “butt stuff” which had been quite off-putting. Not because he had any great desire to do that with her, least of all when they were both intoxicated, but because it sounded so juvenile. He had already been a little wary of sleeping with her when she was so drunk and then she’d spoken to him like a Spring Breaker. Kent generally preferred a little more decorum, even in the bedroom.</p>
<p>Selina Meyer only managed decorum when she being filmed, and then only barely.</p>
<p>Kent decided to go for a run after work rather than go straight home. It would be helpful to relieve some of his tension. There was a track near enough to be useable. He knew too well the dangers of running on streets anywhere, let alone in DC. Ben would probably try to run him down.</p>
<p>He turned up the music before he started. Relying on the crash of chords to wipe out the ambient sounds. There was a time for distant traffic and the other assorted aural debris of human existence. This wasn’t it.</p>
<p>Kent ran five miles. Not especially fast. He wasn’t trying to beat any records. Just a steady, even pace that didn’t require any thought. He wasn’t aware of anything but the music and the feel of one foot in front of the other.</p>
<p>When he finished, he turned off the “Do Not Disturb” on his cell. That was his first mistake. The second mistake was checking his notifications. Calls, texts, and even a couple of emails. He’d only left the office a few hours ago. It was hard to imagine quite what variety of disaster might have occurred so quickly.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Selina paced the office. Kent ran his fingers through his hair.</p>
<p>‘He has the best doctors possible,’ he said.</p>
<p>‘What the fuck was he doing?’ Selina spun on her heel. ‘He should be taking more care.’</p>
<p>Kent blew out his cheeks. ‘Given Ben’s medical history I think that at this point walking up the stairs is probably considered a high-risk activity.’</p>
<p>‘Why don’t men ever look after themselves?’ she demanded.</p>
<p>‘Uh…’</p>
<p>She shot him a look. ‘Are you gonna tell me that you were actually running and that whole get up isn’t just casual dress up?’</p>
<p>‘I’d just finished my five miles,’ he said meekly.</p>
<p>‘Jesus, I can’t even <em>walk</em> five miles.’ She shook her head. ‘Thank fuck women don’t have heart attacks.’</p>
<p>Kent blinked. ‘That’s not true.’</p>
<p>She waved her hand. ‘Yeah, yeah, incredibly rare. Close enough.’</p>
<p>‘It’s really not that uncommon.’</p>
<p>Selina rolled her eyes at him. ‘I suppose I should be thrilled that you at least are physically active. Although I guess that shouldn’t have been a surprise after last night.’</p>
<p>Kent felt himself redden. Perhaps it was the surprise of her mentioning it again. Perhaps it was the vague hint of compliment. Selina had never been quick to acknowledge any good work or success that he had. It simply wasn’t her nature to accept that anyone else had succeeded or had contributed to her success.</p>
<p>She was smirking. ‘Are you <em>blushing</em>?’</p>
<p>‘I’ve been running. I’m warm,’ he said.</p>
<p>She strutted over. ‘You’re blushing. That’s so cute. I didn’t think you were human enough to blush.’</p>
<p>‘May I go, Ma’am?’ Kent asked. ‘We’re determined our actions covering the immediate issue of Ben’s ill-health. I don’t so what else is to be served by my remaining.’</p>
<p>She cocked her head. ‘Don’t go adding hurt feelings, Kent, you’re gonna completely mess with my perceptions of you.’</p>
<p>‘Yes, far be it from the reality of me to counteract the imagined construction of me that you insist on.’</p>
<p>‘Nobody likes a grump, Kent,’ she said. She pushed herself up onto the desk. ‘Are you gonna be okay? I know you and Ben are pretty close.’</p>
<p>Kent opened and closed his mouth. ‘It’s… disturbing,’ he admitted. ‘However, it isn’t the first time by any means.’</p>
<p>‘My daddy died of a heart attack,’ she said. ‘It was awful. You ever see a dead body?’</p>
<p>He nodded. ‘My brother.’</p>
<p>‘What happened?’</p>
<p>‘He was shot in a robbery,’ Kent said. ‘Liquor store. He’d gone in to get some beer for a party.’</p>
<p>‘Jesus.’ She shook her head. ‘Young then?’</p>
<p>‘Twenty-three,’ Kent said. ‘Wrong place and time. That was all.’</p>
<p>She took out a cigarette and lit it. ‘Don’t tell Gary.’</p>
<p>‘He’ll be able to smell it,’ Kent said mildly.</p>
<p>‘You think?’</p>
<p>Kent nodded. ‘Anyone coming into the room in the next few hours will be able to smell it. It’ll linger on the furnishings longer than that and in your hair and on your dress.’</p>
<p>She narrowed her eyes. ‘Anyone ever tell you that you’re a buzzkill?’</p>
<p>‘Sometimes. May I go?’</p>
<p>‘You sure that you wanna be alone?’ she asked. ‘If you’re as disturbed as all that.’</p>
<p>‘I’m quite sure.’</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>‘She wanted you to stay,’ Ben croaked.</p>
<p>‘Should you be talking?’ Kent asked as he straightened the covers on Ben’s bed</p>
<p>‘If you think I’m gonna let you monologue at me about your boring “problems” then you can fuck off.’</p>
<p>‘I was merely attempting to keep you up to date on the current situation,’ Kent said.</p>
<p>‘The current situation in your pants.’</p>
<p>Kent frowned. ‘How many painkillers are you on?’</p>
<p>‘Not nearly enough.’</p>
<p>Ben rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand. ‘Never took a swing at Selina.’</p>
<p>‘That is an enormous relief,’ Kent said dryly.</p>
<p>‘It’s not enormous. Barely average. Although it’s been a while since I’ve seen it. My dick and I are on kind of a break.’</p>
<p>Kent stood up. ‘I’ll come back when you’re less… You.’</p>
<p>‘I like women who are a little more nurturing,’ Ben said wistfully. ‘She’s about as nurturing as a shark.’</p>
<p>‘All your wives have been nurses. You have an issue.’</p>
<p>Ben shrugged. ‘Way more than one. But maybe I just have a thing for scrubs. You every think of that?’</p>
<p>‘Have you ever dated a doctor or radiologist?’</p>
<p>Ben shook his head.</p>
<p>Kent headed to the door. ‘It’s unlikely that you have some form of fetish for scrubs. I think you simply have some undiagnosed and deeply unpleasant mommy issues.’</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Kent knew that people found it amusing that he was devoted to his mother. Amusing and sometimes creepy. He had never been bothered by other people’s failure to understand his relationship with his mother. It wasn’t his issue that other people had difficult or complicated relationships with <em>their</em> parents and were projecting that onto him. His relationship with his mother was neither difficult nor complicated. From the moment that she had signed the adoption papers she had been fiercely protective, loving, loyal, and supportive. She had given him the space and time he needed to learn to trust her. He adored her without hesitation or qualm. He knew that he was extremely fortunate in this.</p>
<p>Perhaps that was why the idea of being with a woman who had <em>such</em> a power disparity made him uneasy. It wasn’t that he had an issue with strong women per se. Sue was no pushover. It was one of the things that he had found extremely appealing. He had dated women who headed large companies and he had dated an extremely high-flying lawyer. But he hadn’t been employed by any of them. He had always avoided any form of romantic entanglements in the workplace. They were potential minefields even when the relationship itself was successful, and Kent would be the first to acknowledge that his relationship history was no one of unalloyed success.</p>
<p>The second person, anyway. Given that Ben would doubtless reel of the full list given even the weakest excuse.</p>
<p>Selina Meyer was not a woman who dealt with disappointment well. She did not deal with rejection well. Kent had seen the reams of oppo research that had been produced during the Hughes campaign. He’d commissioned most of it. There were too many suspicious “accidents” that happened to Selina’s exes for Kent’s liking. He didn’t much like the idea of finding his boat on fire, bike tyres slashed, or suits cut up.</p>
<p>‘You okay?’ Selina asked, looking at him over her glasses.</p>
<p>This was perhaps the worst thing about Ben’s enforced absence: Kent having to pick up his duties meant spending a lot more time with her.</p>
<p>‘Ma’am?’</p>
<p>She waved a hand. ‘You were a million miles away.’</p>
<p>‘Apologies.’</p>
<p>‘Is this the Ben thing?’ she asked. ‘I know it’s not the extra work. You were way busier during the campaign and you weren’t zoning out on me.’</p>
<p>He shook his head. ‘I simply have a lot on my mind, Ma’am.’</p>
<p>Selina leaned back in her chair. ‘Trying to get anything out of you is like getting blood from a stone. I’ve had more personal conversations with my manicurist.’</p>
<p>Kent licked his lips. ‘I wasn’t aware that personal conversations were considered appropriate at work.’</p>
<p>She ran her fingers through her hair. ‘Probably not,’ she said. ‘Jesus, the list of things that go around here that wouldn’t be considered appropriate in a workplace has gotta run to more volumes than <em>War and Peace</em>.’</p>
<p>He smiled slightly. ‘Indeed.’</p>
<p>‘You ever read that?’</p>
<p>‘When I was young,’ he said. ‘“Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the company of intelligent women.”’  </p>
<p>She looked at him blankly.</p>
<p>‘A line from the novel,’ he explained.</p>
<p>‘That’s a good line,’ she said. She crossed her legs. ‘So, I’m just gonna come right out and ask if you’re freaked out because we had sex the other night. You really seem to be struggling with that.’</p>
<p>He felt the blood draining from his face. ‘It’s not something that I’ve ever done before.’</p>
<p>She blinked. ‘You mean sex with your boss, right? You cannot <em>possibly</em> mean sex because no virgin does that stuff.’</p>
<p>‘With my manager or employer, no,’ he said. ‘I’ve never been drunk with a manager before either. I entirely let myself down.’</p>
<p>‘You’re being a little hard on yourself don’t you think? I got drunk and slept with an employee!  That’s <em>much</em> worse, holy shit.’</p>
<p>Kent smiled slightly. ‘It would seem that neither of us covered ourselves in glory.’</p>
<p>She blew out her cheeks. ‘Is that necessarily a bad thing? We’re both grown-ups. We had fun. We’re obviously both able to do it without it being a huge deal.’</p>
<p>‘Aren’t we having this conversation because you’re concerned that I’m distracted by it, Ma’am?’ Kent asked.</p>
<p>‘I was kinda hoping you were distracted by something else,’ she admitted.</p>
<p>Kent clasped his hands together in his lap. ‘May I speak frankly?’</p>
<p>‘Hell no. I get that enough from Ben.’ She shrugged. ‘Okay, fine. Just remember I can fire you.’</p>
<p>‘Exactly,’ he said.</p>
<p>She shifted in her seat. ‘That was a joke. Maybe it wasn’t a great joke but…’</p>
<p>Kent licked his lips. ‘Whether one finds that amusing or not, it is also true. You are my employer, more than that, you are the President of the United States. The power imbalance between us is completely disproportionate. Many companies have policies in place which would explicitly ban any form or sexual or romantic interaction where such a disparity exists.’</p>
<p>‘Seriously? You’re gonna sit there and make out like I’m the queen on high shouting off with head? You of all people know way better than that. I don’t have any fucking power. Not the way you mean. I can’t wipe my ass without the approval of Congress.’</p>
<p>‘A charming image,’ he remarked.</p>
<p>‘Okay, let me put it another way. Do you think I’m incapable of putting my ambition ahead of my emotions? When you offered to join my team, did I say no because I was mad at you? When Roger Furlong and Andrew Doyle volunteered to come onboard, did I say no because they’d both treated me like shit for <em>years</em>?’</p>
<p>Kent shook his head. ‘You’ve always been remarkably able to put aside personal animosity in the pursuit of your political goals. However, you have a history of attacks on your former partners.’</p>
<p>‘That little shit, what exactly did Dan tell you?’</p>
<p>Kent blinked. ‘You dated Dan?’</p>
<p>She burst out laughing. ‘Oh, God, no. I told him some stuff.’</p>
<p>‘Such as?’</p>
<p>She shrugged. ‘I… <em>may</em> have had something to do with Andrew’s car being torched.’</p>
<p>He nodded. ‘Yes, I know.’</p>
<p>‘That fucker! When did he tell you?’</p>
<p>‘He didn’t, it came up in our research. You were investigated at the time but there wasn’t enough evidence.’</p>
<p>‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Shit.’</p>
<p>‘I very much like my boat,’ Kent said. ‘I would be deeply upset if it were to be set on fire.’</p>
<p>Selina winced. ‘Okay, one, Andrew cheated on me multiple times with multiple women and then tried to steal my money. Setting his car on fire was the least he deserved. Two, how do you even burn a boat? It’s in the water.’</p>
<p>Kent raised his eyebrows. ‘It’s not a submarine.’  </p>
<p>‘I don’t really know much about nautical stuff,’ she admitted. ‘I’m red hot on horses. You ever ride?’</p>
<p>‘I <em>can</em>,’ he said. ‘But not well and it’s been a very long time. I must confess that I find them a little frightening.’</p>
<p>She leaned back. ‘Huh. Okay. Never thought I’d hear you say anything was frightening.’</p>
<p>Kent tapped his fingers together. ‘I think perhaps you have an image of me that is rather…’</p>
<p>‘Cold? Robotic? Alien?’</p>
<p>‘I was going to say “unrealistic” in fact,’ he said. ‘It is true that I am not socially gifted. It’s something of which I am acutely aware, and the endless reminders are not necessary.’</p>
<p>Selina Meyer was a lot of things: selfish, driven, cruel sometimes, but she was certainly not <em>stupid</em>. He saw her wince and knew that she’d understood.</p>
<p>‘Mike and Ben think you might be on the spectrum or something,’ she said more quietly.</p>
<p>‘Possibly,’ he said. ‘It’s only fairly recently that testing has become more common. If so, I am somewhat atypical as I never had issues with change and even as a child, I never injured myself or others. I think perhaps we often rush too quickly to diagnose a syndrome when a simple weakness may be the case.’</p>
<p>‘You’ve looked into it then?’ she asked.</p>
<p>‘Of course. It is quite beguiling to imagine that there is some simple diagnosis that will explain away our flaws. That rather than continue the hard and exhausting business of working at improving we can simply wave a hand and say: accept me as I am or announce yourself a bigot.’ He shrugged. ‘However, I cannot in good conscience claim to be that particular flavour of neural atypical when everything I have read suggests that I am, as so many people have told me, merely awkward and uncomfortable socially.’</p>
<p>‘Wow,’ Selina said. ‘You have a conscience?’</p>
<p>He tilted his head. ‘Is that a genuine question or a joke in order to distract from your personal unease and my honesty?’</p>
<p>‘The second one,’ she said. ‘I’ve had… Bad experiences with like… the mental health stuff.’</p>
<p>He was quiet for a moment. ‘It’s not quite the same,’ he said very carefully. ‘Nonetheless, I think the stigma towards mental ill-health and those who are neural atypical like springs from the same poisoned source.’</p>
<p>She flicked back her hair. ‘You know all about that shit from oppo research too?’</p>
<p>‘It’s a matter of public record,’ he said. ‘For a certain definition of “public” at least.’</p>
<p>‘You never said anything.’</p>
<p>Kent looked at her. ‘What was there to say?’</p>
<p>Selina picked at the corner of a cushion. ‘I don’t know. That it’s a sign of weakness. That I’ve no business being in politics never mind going for president. Shit people say.’</p>
<p>‘It’s just an illness,’ Kent said. ‘It happens to a significant proportion of the population. Frankly I had any number of other concerns about you that had nothing to do with your mental health.’</p>
<p>Selina threw the cushion at him. ‘Asshole.’</p>
<p>‘And you wonder why I hesitate to engage with you on any deeper level than employer/employee,’ he said dryly.</p>
<p>‘Because I threw a fucking cushion at you?’</p>
<p>‘Because I’m not in a position to throw it back,’ he said.</p>
<p>Selina crossed her legs. ‘When we’re at work you shouldn’t throw it back.’</p>
<p>‘When we’re at work <em>you</em> shouldn’t throw it in the first place.’</p>
<p>She waggled her foot. ‘Okay. I’ll do you a deal. I won’t do shit like that at work and you <em>can</em> do shit like that when we aren’t.’</p>
<p>‘You really want to do this?’ he asked.</p>
<p>She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. ‘Do you know what it’s like for me trying to meet guys? It’s fucking weird! And none of them get it. They don’t understand the job and they don’t understand me. You have no idea how relaxing it was to go to bed with someone who didn’t get freaked out by the Secret Service. Someone who knew to leave in the morning. Someone who was sensible and professional and not a complete dick at work.’ She opened her eyes. ‘And your dick is fucking huge and you know how to use it.’</p>
<p>He opened and shut his mouth. ‘I suppose that I’ve heard worse reasoning.’</p>
<p>‘Good.’ She stretched. ‘Plus, going back to your thing about me having all this power over you, we both know you know all kinds of shit about me. We have like mutually assured destruction thing going on.’</p>
<p>‘How is that a good thing?’ Kent asked.</p>
<p>‘I guess it’ll keep us both honest,’ she said. She stood up. ‘So, don’t disappear after work, okay? I wanna take a ride on that dick while I’m sober enough to properly appreciate.’</p>
<p>‘Yes, Ma’am,’ he said, standing up.</p>
<p>‘Are you blushing again? That’s so fucking cute. And your being fucking cute is so damn weird.’ She shook her head. ‘This is gonna take some getting used to.’</p>
<p>‘That would appear to be the case,’ he said meekly.</p>
<p>She flapped her hands. ‘Okay, we’re done. Shoo. Go do your job. You do still have to do that you know.’</p>
<p>Kent smiled slightly. ‘Yes, Ma’am.’</p>
<p>The End</p>
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